Tuesday, May 27, 2014

I received a phone call from a potential client on Wednesday, May 16th 2013 (this article has been sitting as a draft for quite some time now). The client informed me that he had been using one of our competitors for a long time but that they were no longer in business. After he did his research, he saw that we may be a perfect fit. He just purchased a brand new BMW M3 days before our conversation. Every now and again I will speak to someone that really understands the importance of detailing and protecting your vehicle even if it is only days old. This particular individual was one that I had the opportunity to apply my knowledge I've obtained over the last 10 years. After a thorough conversation about my experience, various paint protection products and several other "concerns" he had, he was confident enough in me to schedule an appointment. Little did I know that this future appointment was an interview process.

We arrived at his house at 1:30pm sharp on Friday afternoon. The car needed to be thoroughly inspected to decide which detailing service it would need. He was curious about our waterless car wash method so he asked if he could watch our process. After the wash we inspected the paint under high power LED lighting and measured the clear coat thickness since I knew it would need some polishing. We agreed that the paint needed a single step polish to remove the defects in the paint that were induced by the dealership, poor washing methods or transportation from the manufacturer to the car lot.

Alan and I set up our detailing equipment and supplies and began our work. Little did we know that when this client asked to watch our process, he meant the entire time! He watched us the entire four hours we were detailing his vehicle. Typically, we don't necessarily prefer this, but it gave us lots of time to really understand his needs and expectations if we were going to gain his business for good.

We didn't get any before shots since we were doing a lot of talking but below are a few shots of our finished work. This detail included a one step polish followed by our signature high end paste wax. We polished, sealed and waxed all of the wheels and performed our interior protection detail as well.

After we performed our final inspection, he handed us a check, shook our hands and said, "Well, you've got my business forever!"

The following Saturday at about noon I received the following email:

Hi DJ,

I feel a strong obligation to let you know how I feel about your detailing service.

I've had my numerous M3's detailed by different people. After the job you and Alan did recently I can say without reservation it was the BEST job I have ever had done! The exterior of the car was spotless and looked like glass by the time you were finished. The interior was immaculate.

Your attention to detail, your punctuality, courteous attitude, even the questions you asked was what I was hoping for. It was what all business owners should strive for.

Thanks again, you have EARNED my business and I look forward to many more years of great detailing. Great job!

If you’re in Oklahoma you know the weather can be very unpredictable. Lately we've experienced freezing temperatures, in addition to snow and ice. To prevent us from these hazardous road conditions, companies apply salt and other chemicals to safeguard us from these unwelcome conditions. Unfortunately the chemicals used to protect us create a hazard to our vehicles finish.

Salt is a major cause and accelerate for rust, especially on the undercarriage of the vehicle. The vital, unseen components underneath your vehicle such as the braking system, steering components, suspension parts, metal frames including the wheels are essential for the safe operation of your vehicle. It can also cause premature damage to the painted surfaces if left on the vehicle for too long. Left unattended you may incur costly, unnecessary repairs. Let us show you how we can avoid these problems in 3 easy steps.

Have your car professionally detailed and protected prior to the winter season: Part of our winterization detail includes the application of a durable wax, sealant or ceramic coating that is applied to paint and wheels. We also perform a window treatment that increases vision and cuts down on wiper wear. The overall process provides a protective barrier between your vehicle and the elements.

Winter maintenance: Wash immediately, after the snow and ice melt. Preferably at a “touch less” car wash facility, equipped with an undercarriage rinse option. Timing is crucial because the mix of chemicals applied to streets, promote rust on your vehicle as noted above. As a result, you prevent build up that could damage essential mechanical parts underneath the vehicle. NOTE: With my years of experience in the automatic car wash industry, I've seen a lot of damage occur from drive through car washes. If you plan to go to an automatic carwash, only use the touch less wash! If brushes or foam strips come into contact with your vehicle, they will be carrying all of the salt and grime that they picked up from everyone else’s vehicles. I’ve seen this happen way too many times to count.

Protect your carpets on the interior of your vehicle: The easiest way to do this is to flip all of your mats upside down so that you aren’t tracking any moisture onto your carpets. This is crucial in the rainy seasons as well. It’s amazing how clean you can keep your carpets by simply turning them over. Consider buying mats or something to cover the heavy traffic areas in your carpets not covered by any mats, especially those who transport children with SUV’s. Also, fabric guard can be applied to prevent stains from occurring.

I hope this information helps to maintain your vehicle through the winter season. If you have any questions or need further advice, please leave your comments below or contact me directly at 918-955-7174 or DJ@EcoGreenTulsa.com. Happy New Years!

Auto detailing is art to us and we are in the market for more artists that are as equally passionate about the fruits of their labor. We are growing rapidly and in need of individuals that are willing to be a part of something that matters. If you’re a car nut, enjoy working with people, have a little sickness known as OCD or better yet, love our environment; you may be our next team member!

What’s the environment got to do with a clean car? We created a company that not only produces high quality auto detailing work, but we avoid compromising our beautiful planet for a freshly cleaned car. We use plant-based cleaning agents and utilize a water-less car wash system that saves an average of 100 gallons of water per wash! This process prevents contaminated water from entering our waterways which kills aquatic life and pollutes our beautiful earth. Pretty cool, huh?

We currently have one mobile unit that has been servicing Tulsa, Oklahoma since April of 2010 and we added a second mobile unit June of 2013. Both units are no longer able to keep up with the high demand of auto detailing requests in the urgency that is needed. Good problem to have, yes, but we want to provide our auto detailing services as soon as the client requests them. We would like to have several more mobile units servicing the Greater Tulsa area ASAP.

We want you to be a great detailer and also contribute to our growth. We are looking for self motivated, leaders. This means using your strengths to help implement and better our current systems, while maintaining the great clientele we have. “What will my hours be,” you ask? Great question! We do our best to keep consistency but we are working for real people, and lots of them! Your start and finish times will vary day by day so you need to be flexible. We will provide you with a weekly schedule but don’t be surprised if it changes the evening before. We also need you to be comfortable with inconsistencies because let’s face it, we live in Oklahoma and the weather can be a bit unpredictable. We consider down time an opportunity to collaborate. We like to take a step back and look at what we can do better for our clients and more so, each other. Again, we want to capitalize on your strengths and allow you to have your hand in all we do.

We don’t want this to just be a job for you. We want you to be a part of a culture that is willing to take a stand in the auto detailing industry. We don’t simply strive to be eco friendly but to be the absolute best auto detailing company and Tulsa’s most responsible way to clean their vehicles. Does this sound like the type of company you want to be a part of? Do you want to say you are part of the change that Tulsa is experiencing?

If this is you, please email us why you think you’re the right fit along with your resume to Info@EcoGreenTulsa.com.

Choosing a detailing company can be hard, almost like choosing a place to eat in a foreign area. In most cities the market is saturated with tons of detailers, but which one should you go to? In this article, I will give you 6 things to look for when choosing a detailing company.

1) Accreditations: Are they accredited by their local Better Business Bureau? To be accredited by the BBB, a business affirms that it meets and will abide by the following six standards: Build Trust, Advertise Honestly, Tell the Truth, Be Transparent, Honor Promises, Be Responsive, Safeguard Privacy, and our favorite Embody Integrity. You can find this on their website.

2) Reviews: This is a no brainer. What are others saying about them? Platforms like Angie’s List, Yelp, Google, Facebook and LinkedIn are great places to see how reputable detailing companies are.

3) Certifications: Ask the company if they have any certifications. I like to think that I’m the leader in my local industry, one of those reasons is because I’m certified by several organizations. Here at EcoGreen, I claim to be a green business because I use products that are green and use less than 500 gallons of water per year. It isn't enough for me to just say that. I actually went through an extensive certification process through Green America to become a National Green Certified Company. I've also traveled the country and obtained several certifications in auto detailing and reconditioning. This billion dollar industry is changing rapidly and I’m all about investing in continuing education and passing my knowledge onto my team members.

4) Years in Business: There are lots of “fly by night” detailing companies that pop up every summer to try and get a piece of the pie. You may notice these companies putting out lots of “deals” on Living Social or Groupon during the summer seasons. Why choose a company that only wants to cash in during the busy season when you can go with a company or individual with lots of experience with running successful operations year after year.

5) Insurance: Any honest detailing company will tell you that accidents do to happen from time to time. So make sure that the detailing company you’re hiring is fully insured to protect themselves and you against any unfortunate events.

6) Appearance: Have you ever driven by a full service car wash and saw workers wearing whatever they pleased? A true professional company has a strict dress code. This dress code should say a lot about the way they do business. Dress code isn’t everything. A clean detailing truck or van says a lot about the company you’re working with. Would you hire a personal trainer that was overweight?

What do you look for when choosing a detailing company or ANY company for that matter? Leave your comments or feedback below.

9 months ago, my wife and I found out that we would be expecting our second child. As all parents know, there is a lot of preparation that takes place within those nine months. Car seats, nursery decor, doctor visits, the list goes on and on. One thing that is often overlooked is the cleanliness of your vehicle. Did you know that your car is a breeding ground for germs and bacteria? Check out this video! We get several requests per year from pregnant women interested in getting their cars cleaned prior to delivery but I believe that number would rise if people really knew how many germs are lurking inside of their cars. We pride ourselves in our commitment to only using eco friendly, plant-based products on all of our interior detail services. Not only are they great products but they don't compromise the health of car owners just to get a nicely detailed car. But is simply spraying and wiping on plant based cleaners or any chemical for that matter going to ensure a germ free car? Probably not. We utilize a European steam cleaning machine. The steam reaches temperatures upwards of 300 degrees Fahrenheit which is know to kill germs and bacteria. With the combination of our safe eco friendly cleaning products and our steam cleaning system we can guarantee that your vehicle will be properly prepared for your new little bundle of joy. I know ours was... Here is my son, Ellis who was born at 6:10am Monday, January 27th

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Three weeks ago I recieved a call from a gentleman that was in desperate need of a miracle. He informed me that he needed to sell his vehicle but there was one problem... It had never been waxed since the day he drove it off of the lot!

As you can see it was completely oxidized on the hood, roof and the trim above all of the doors. It was either me or a paint shop. He had done his homework and looked at the paint correction work I've performed on previous vehicles, so it did not take much convincing him.

After mutiple steps of wetsanding, compounding, polishing, a nice lunch break to Subway the results were as follows:

Don't let this happen to you! Contact us and ask about our paint protection services. We offer basic waxing, paint sealants and semi- permanent coatings, giving you the option of 6 weeks on up to 4 years of paint protection!

He was so happy with the work that he left a review for us on Angies List:

"DJ is very professional and very knowledgable. He came and gave me a fair estimate then scheduled me right away. He showed up on time and was very courteous. He came right to my house. My car was an absolute mess and the paint was in poor shape. DJ worked all day and when finshed the car looked brand new!!! It is amazing how good it came up with the Eco Green system. A few days after the service DJ called me to make sure I was happy with everything and asked if he could help with anything else. I will have him do my other two vehicles. He performs magic!!!"

Monday, July 2, 2012

In 2010 I decided to bring an eco friendly alternative to traditional auto detailing here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I've used many different car care products in the past that have claimed to be eco friendly but being the detail oriented person (OCD is a better way to put it J) that I am, I had to know what ingredients were in the products. Biodegradable or eco friendly just didn’t cut it for me.I did not want to claim to use eco friendly products and not be able to disclose the ingredients if asked either.

WHEEL CLEANER & TIRE SHINE

After some extensive research, we found Eco Touch. Unlike the overwhelming majority of auto detailing product manufacturers, Eco Touch reveals both the functional and scientific ingredients on their packaging and website. I’ve worked with many products and I can honestly say this is the first company that I’ve seen do this. Eco Touch was founded by two environmental entrepreneurs from Portsmouth, NH. Eco Touch products are now distributed in 20+ countries as well as online. They have also been featured in many prominent media outlets such as The National Geographic and The New York Times. Can you see why I am a proud partner and believer in Eco Touch? They are also a Green America certified business. I became such a believer in Eco Touch that I HAD to bring it to Oklahoma.

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BEFORE

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AFTER

Now we have the confidence of saying we are acompletely green company not just because we save 60+ gallons of water per cleaning and use companies that claim to be green, but because we know Eco Touch is the real deal! People may get the notion that just because these products are eco friendly and safe that they don't work as good as the "strong toxic" cleaners. Well...Eco Touch says it best, “car care without compromise”. Take a look at the photos below and draw your own conclusion.

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NO WATER!

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To take advantage of this great line give us a call and lets get these products in to your hands. One of my goals with Eco Green, is to change the auto detailing industry here in Oklahoma and get EVERY detail company, detail shop, and car enthusiast using green products or at least let them know that there are greener options. If you are car enthusiast or a professional detailer, give me a call.

DJ Patterson is the one of the few leading experts in green auto detailing in the US. He is certified in auto detailing and reconditioning from the International Detailing Association, Smart Detailing University and Elite Esoteric Detailer Academy. DJ is a dedicated member of organizations such as Green America, Tulsa Young Professionals: Sustainability Crew, International Car Wash Association, and the International Detailing Association. He stays up to date with the latest green initiatives and the rapidly changing, billion dollar, auto detailing industry.